1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic-component supplying system including electronic-component supplying cartridges and a cartridge support member and in particular to improvements in the technique with which each cartridge is supported by the support member.
2. Related Art Statement
There is known an electronic-component supplying system which employs a plurality of electronic-component supplying cartridges, each for supplying electronic components to an electronic-component mounting device. The supplying system includes (a) a plurality of electronic-component supplying cartridges each of which includes a cartridge frame, an electronic-component holder which holds a number of electronic components and which includes a connection portion connected to a connection portion of the cartridge frame, and an electronic-component feeder which feeds each of the electronic components from the holder to an electronic-component supplying position distant from the connection portion of the cartridge frame, and (b) a support member which supports the respective cartridge frames of the supplying cartridges such that the respective electronic-component supplying positions on the cartridge frames are aligned with each other in a predetermined direction, e.g., width-wise direction of each cartridge.
In the above-identified electronic-component supplying system, the cartridge frame and electronic-component holder of each cartridge are supported by the support member. The support member has a support surface on which each cartridge is supported, and has a pair of positioning pins distant from each other in a direction parallel to an electronic-component feeding direction, on the support surface. The cartridge frame of each cartridge has a pair of positioning holes corresponding to the pair of pins of the support member. With the pins fitting in the holes, the cartridge frame is positioned relative to the support member. In addition, the support member has a number of grooves at positions thereof each corresponding to an end portion of the electronic-component holder opposite to the connection portion thereof connected to the connection portion of the cartridge frame of each cartridge. The grooves are formed at a regular interval of distance in the width-wise direction and each extend parallel to the feeding direction. A projection projects from the end portion of the holder and extends parallel to the feeding direction. With the support portion fitting in one of the grooves, the movement of the holder in the width-wise direction is restricted by a pair of walls defining that groove.
However, different electronic-component holders, i.e., different electronic-component supplying cartridges may have different projections having different thickness values, for example, because the projections are formed of different plates. In the case where a holder having a projection with a thickness smaller than the width of each groove of the support member, is attached to the support member, some space is left between the projection and the groove-defining walls, resulting in causing the projection or the holder to vibrate in the width-wise direction. Even if the cartridge frame to which the holder is connected does not vibrate relative to the support member, the holder elastically deforms and vibrates. Since holders are made large to accommodate an increased number of electronic components and are formed of a thin material to reduce the weight thereof, and since the sum of masses of the electronic components mounts to a lot, the holders easily deform and vibrate.
In particular, in the case where the support member is movable in the width-wise direction to locate a selected one of the cartridges at an electronic-component taking-up position where each electronic component is taken up and supplied to the electronic-component mounting device, the electronic-component holder of the selected cartridge vibrates because of the inertia force exerted thereto. The vibration of the holder is transmitted to the cartridge frame, so that the electronic-component supplying position on the cartridge frame changes relative to the electronic-component taking-up position of the supplying system as a whole. Thus, the accuracy of positioning of the supplying position of each cartridge is lowered and, in an extreme case, each cartridge may fail to supply an electronic component to the mounting device.